A £100,000 revamp at Houghton Regis Leisure Centre, which escaped the axe earlier this year, has now been completed.
The official relaunch of the Parkside Drive leisure venue took place on Monday, April 23.
It was good news for campaigners who fought hard for the centre’s future after it came under threat.
Central Beds Council has pledged to keep the venue open until the end of March next year.
And the council says that its investment in the centre is part of that commitment.
Stevenage Leisure took over the running of the venue this month, after a selection process which also involved the community.
The revamped centre now has a new 60-station fitness room, including cardio and strength/resistance equipment and a free weights area.
There is a new-look reception.
And the existing gym has been converted into a spinning and workout studio with a range of different classes.
The council has been working in partnership with Houghton Regis Town Council and the Houghton Regis Leisure Centre Action Group to keep the centre open.
When news of the makeover was announced, Central Beds councillor Brian Spurr said: “This refurbishment will result in much better facilities at the leisure centre which we hope will be enjoyed by everyone.
“The local community has played a big part in helping us to reach this conclusion and find a positive alternative to closure. We are sure that the new operators, Stevenage Leisure Ltd, will do a great job of running the centre from now on.”
The Gazette has been closely following the campaign to save the leisure centre. Action group campaigners were overjoyed by the decision to keep the centre running in the next financial year.
After the announcement of the reprieve, they said in a statement: “We are delighted with the news.”
The campaigners made it clear that they would be keen to find a way to re-open the centre’s pool, which closed last autumn.